Technical Support is Redefined at KINfolk

Melinda shows a touch computer screen.

Melinda McGuigan is a firecracker. From the moment I met her, I knew that she was passionate and personally connected to the mission of her organization, KINfolk. I just had to interview her. She's a tiny lady who closely resembles Sarah Palin, a fact she embraces and thinks is riotously funny. After hearing about My Ten Bucks, Melinda was excited to be a part of it.

Melinda nearly ran to meet me in the lobby of A.I. duPont Hospital for Children, with a great big smile on her face. She enthusiastically shook my hand, then led me through a dizzying maze of hallways and elevators to her tiny office. Far from the grandeur of the main hospital, the KINfolk office is in the original duPont hospital buidling, which I have never seen. Melinda unlocked a gargantuan wooden door and led me into her warm, cozy office, filled with neatly stacked "gently used" laptops, computer parts, touch screens, and donated furniture. Pictures of children, including Melinda's two sons, are tacked and taped all over the walls. Many of them have obviously undergone some form of chemotherapy.

I asked Melinda to describe the purpose of KINfolk, in a meat and potatoes nutshell, so to speak. She said that KINfolk helps to alleviate the boredom and frustration of children in poor health by lending them safeguarded laptop computers (with internet filters). It seems so simple, really, but imagine you're a child who is bound to a bed while in recovery, detached and isolated from the friends that keep you sane. KINfolk helps kids remain connected to the people - and even pets - that matter so much to them. I had to laugh when Melinda told me that some kids would rather Skype their dog than their grandma.

Then, I sobbed. Melinda's compassion for the kids that she described was awe-inspiring. I listened and grabbed for tissues as she told me about Trevaine, a girl from Jamaica, who is featured in KINfolk's brochure. Trevaine was a beauty with dark brown skin, gleaming eyes, and a gorgeous white smile. Melinda told me that Trevaine's only communication with her family in Jamaica had been done using a KINfolk computer. Trevaine passed away in June 2010 after losing her fight with cancer. KINfolk had been able to help Trevaine maintain communication with her family despite the distance. When asked how this affected her, she said, "Although the sorrow is there, so is the reward." At that, I sobbed again.

Melinda knows firsthand the fear and frustration that goes along with a long recovery. Her son was diagnosed with cancer and treated at A.I. duPont several years ago. He survived, and in 2010 he graduated from the University of Delaware. Her son borrowed a KINfolk laptop while he was in recovery, and Melinda never forgot the program. A few years later, she found herself wanting to give back to her community. By a twist of fate, the position of Executive Director at KINfolk had opened up, and Melinda saw the job posting. Despite her lack of experience, her passion landed her the job.


A KINfolk computer console
in a hospital common area

KINfolk has partnerships at local hospitals throughout the nation. The nonprofit lends laptops directly to kids with a referral from a medical provider, child life specialist, or social worker. KINfolk ships laptops nationwide, and even provides travel bags, which protect the laptops as the children transport them from place to place. Many of their users are confined to hospital rooms, but just as many are homebound. KINfolk has an array of clients, but all of them have similar needs. The patients aren't the only ones who can borrow a computer; KINfolk regularly lends laptops to parents, clergy, doctors and family members.

I asked Melinda how my ten bucks would be used to directly impact KINfolk clients She said, "That's easy!" She held up a power cord adapter. "This is $90.00. You could pay for 1/9th of this. The power cords separate and get left plugged in in hospital rooms, then the cleaning people throw them out, and I have to replace them." Then she held up a surge protector. "This is $40.00. You could buy 1/4th of this." She waved a hand around her small office. "Then there's the things you don't see. Stamps. Postage. Shipping. Licenses." In other words, operating costs. As is the case with many nonprofits, as KINfolk's only paid employee, Melinda's salary is the largest chunk of KINfolk's operating budget. She receives funding from different sources, but many provide only direct cost reimbursement, meaning they don't often cover operating costs. Melinda cuts corners wherever she can, by reusing packaging, retrofitting damaged equipment, and finding sustainable sources for her equipment. She doesn't cut corners on software licenses, though, and says they are one of her highest expenses. She depends on her expert volunteers to help her maintain the equipment.

Melinda depends on individual contributions like my ten bucks because she can't always pay for these smaller items - and her own salary - from foundations or corporate sponsors. But she's getting inventive. When she buys laptops with grant money, she asks the laptop companies to send her a few more. "They find ways to give."

I asked Melinda how KINfolk's services could be improved if more people donated ten bucks. She said the money would be used to get the best equipment available for KINfolk clients. Kids who are already stressed out don't need a license or update reminder in the middle of a conversation. Knowing how much KINfolk kids depend on communication, Melinda lends only the most tried-and-true equipment. "I'm not in the business of frustrating sick kids," she says.

Melinda's closing thought was one of gratitude. "Every day, I am humbled by the contributions of our volunteers. They are professional, highly-trained people who donate [very valuable services]. Even the volunteers who deliver the computers [are amazing]. They may walk in on a "code blue" or a kid who is not doing well. And still, they stay on. As an Executive Director, I get to see the best of people - as volunteers." I could not agree more.

If you want to contribute to KINfolk, the best way to make your tax-deductible donation count is by mailing a check. You can also donate online, but credit card companies take a percentage of each donation. It may be convenient, but KINfolk has to eat the charges. Send your check to KINfolk, 1600 Rockland Road, Wilmington, DE 19803. Check out KINfolk, Melinda, and their clients at http://www.kinfolknet.org/.

My ten bucks matters, and so does yours.